Florida’s Forgotten Coast, St. George Island and Environs
T
his stretch of coastline southwest of Tallahassee is the way Florida used to be, the real deep-by-the-Gulf part of the state with its most beautiful beaches, vast oak forests, quaint fishing villages and aquamarine waters. Development is inevitable (how far behind can the next fantasy Seaside be?), but there is still a sense of pristine wilderness and simplicity and uncrowded beaches that is unmatched anywhere else. Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park, the easternmost eight miles of the 2,023-acre St. George barrier island, is all about those vast white unpopulated beaches with great shell collecting, hiking trails and primitive campsites. Dog Island to its east is even more untouched, reachable only by private boat or aircraft, and is arguably the most unspoiled and lovely island in the Gulf. WHY GO This is where to go to rediscover the natural reaches of the Gulf region, relatively unpopulated, laid-back, with an emphasis on good fishing, fresh seafood, salt marshes, southern seaside living. This is not about luxury retreats and sunbathing (although you can find this) and all about reconnecting. And the added bonus is exploring the small towns along this coast, and Apalachicola, its historic lynchpin. DON’T MISS Frequently scheduled climbs of the 72-foot St. George Lighthouse, ca. 1852, at the center of the main island offer visitors stunning vistas. In Panacea, at the Gulf Marine Specimen Lab, a fun and educational marine-life showcase run by biologist/novelist Jack Rudloe, you can get up close and personal with a wide variety of sea creatures collected from local waters; in Carabelle, you have Camp Gordon Johnston WWII Museum and the Crooked River Lighthouse; In Apalachicola, the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve highlights the Apalachicola estuary and floodplain basin with nature walks and live marine exhibits; and there is must-see bustling historic downtown Apalachicola with historic homes and waterfront, great restaurants, art galleries and more. WHERE TO STAY St. George Island has a wide range of VRBO options, and Apalachicola has some great hotels, like The Gibson Inn, a restored hotel and restaurant originally built in 1907 featuring a wide veranda, and a superb, newly refurbished restaurant, The Franklin. WHERE TO EAT It’s all about great fresh seafood, cold beer and southern cooking up here; holes in the wall earn bonus points. On St. George island, Blue Parrot Oceanfront Café, the quintessential Florida seaside bar and grill, only yards from the Gulf surf; in Panacea, Mineral Springs Seafood featuring in-house smoked fish and a wide assortment of homemade fish/seafood dips, and very fine Angelo’s Seafood restaurant with its bay views; in Carabelle, Fathoms Steam Room & Raw Bar; in Eastpoint, Lynn’s Quality Oysters; in Apalachicola, Oyster City Brewing Company, Tamara’s Café downtown, and Hole in the Wall Seafood—a must-visit for oyster lovers.
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delray beach magazine
FL nature getaways feature DBM SUM21.indd 64
summer 2021
4/29/21 11:41 AM
